[Social psychiatric study of the over-the-counter antitussive drug abuse; shifts resulting from modification of the formulae].
We surveyed 22 patients (of whom 4 were women) with a history of antitussive drug abuse at a psychiatric hospital in the suburbs of Tokyo and at the Clinical Institute for Addiction Problems from 1 July 1986 to 30 June 1991. for changes in their pattern of abuse after the composition was altered. Here are our findings: 1) Researchers have long differed on whether ephedrine or codeine was responsible for the abuse of over-the-counter antitussive agents. The present study revealed that although codeine was still present in the new Bron syrup, its abuse was clearly on the decline in Japan, leading us therefore to conclude that psychological dependence on ephedrine was central to the spate of over-the-counter antitussive abuse observed in the 1980s. Although we cannot ignore the mellow feeling codeine creates, it is difficult to give it more central role in the abuse of such drugs. 2) Users were divided into two groups, one that had used other agents before using antitussives, and another that had never used any other agent but antitussives. A comparison of these two groups revealed clear differences in learning behavior, social adaptation, familial environment and delinquent tendencies, prior to their drug abuse. 3) After the composition was altered, abuse spread to Tonin syrup manufactured by another laboratory, Bron tablets, new Bron syrup and ephedrine tablets. Relatively recently, there have been some new cases of abuse of Bron tablets and an increase in the number of cases who continued to use Bron syrup even after its composition was altered. The Medical literature also reveals that in many countries the abuse of both codeine and ephedrine is becoming a social problem, and clearly either agent may be abused separately.